Channel closing and edge compacting machine



July 17, 1934.

E. l. LA CHAPELLE 1,966,727- CHANNEL CLOSING AND EDGE coMPAcTING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Illll l= l l l l 5B ETW LLM/XW my 179 1934. E. l. LA CHAPELLE 1,966,727

CHANNEL CLOSING AND EDGE COMPACTINGYMACHINE Filed May 5, 1933 3 sheets-sheet 2 1772262? fori Juiy I7; 1934. E. l. LA CHAPELLE 1,966,727

CHANNEL CLOSING AND EDGE COMPACTING MACHINE Filed May 5. 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,2-venan Patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHANNEL CLOSNG AND EDGE COMPACTING MACHENE 6 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improvement in machines adapted to compact the edge of a leather sole prior to the edge setting operation.

Although edge` compacting machines have been made from time to time with various improvements, none, so far as I am aware, has been adopted for use in the general run of a shoe factory. The reason for the lack of sucle' cess oi such machines has been due, principally 2U means to bring about a hrm foundation for proper edge setting.

The edge setting operation is very laborious, as it is intended for shaping the edge or a shoe sole to its nal shape in the finished shoe by '25 compacting the fibre of the leather under the inuence of the force exerted by the operator in pressing the edge face of the shoe sole against the hot iron of the edge setting machine. The edge finishing composition applied 3U to the edge face of the shoe sole, preparatory to the edge setting operation, contains a certain amount of wax to bring about a glossy surface on the nished edge and such compactness of a leather sole at the edge setting machine is intended to form a iirm foundation for permanent adhesion of the edge finishing composition to the edge face oi the sole and a hrm foundation insuring permanent shape to the nished edge. But the duration oi the edge setting operation and oi such compactness oi the leather is limited by the fact that the Wax in the iinishing composition is liable to be burned out if of too long duration, and then with the disadvantageous result that the nished edge is dull instead of glossy. Even if the duration of the edge setting operation were unlimited, the edge setting operation could not be relied upon to compact the leather to the maximum degree, as the edge setting iron only compacts the leather by pressure of the shoe thereagainst by the operator while it is being oscillated to rub and gloss up the edge surface. Oftentirnes two distinct edge setting operations are performed to compact the leather to its 55 maximum degree, the iirst one being termed paste edge setting and involves, rst, the application of paste to the edge and then setting as in the ordinary manner at the edge setting machine preparatory to the application of the ordinary finishing composition to the edge and oi ordinary edge setting.

My novel machine brings about a maximum d-egree of compactness of a leather outsole edge, so that substantially the same beneficial results are attained by a single edge setting operation as by two edge setting operations and at far less cost and labor and, moreover edges of cheap grade outsoles may be set with as good results as edges of high grade outsoles.

As shown in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my novel channel closing and edge compacting machine;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on dotted line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the mechanism in plan view;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the slide carrying parts oi the shoe engaging elements;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View taken from the rear, showing the shoe engaging elements in relation to the shoe;

Fig. 5 is a shoe guide adapted to engage at the side of the shoe sole, next to the shoe upper, and adapted to engage the edge face of the shoe sole;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail View of a welt shoe provided with a leather outsole preparatory to being passed to the herein described machine;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail View of the shoe after having been passed through the said machine;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a welt shoe after the outsole stitching operation and preparatory to being passed to the said machine; and o Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the shoe after having been passed through said machine.

Referring further to the drawings,

As shown, the machine is adapted to simultaneously compact the edge face of a shoe sole (such as of a leather sole) prior to the edge trimming and edge setting operations and is further adapted to close the channel of the outsole of a welt shoe over the outsole stitching line.

I provide a base 1, which supports the center head 2 of the machine, which includes two uprights 3 and 4, for supporting the operating mechanism, which mechanism consists of a shoe guide 5, which is provided with a downward extension 6, adapted to engage directly the Welt portion '7, of the shoe 8, whereby the shoe is positively held from movement against the pres- IUD sure of the spring actuating the shoe bottom engaging roll 9, to be further described.

The shoe guide 5, is provided with two rearward projections 10 and 11, which are adapted to engage and hold the edge face of the shoe sole in proper relation to the hammer` 12. The spring actuated shoe bottom engaging roll 9 is mounted on a slide 13, which slide is movably mounted in the ways 14, of the uprights 3 and 4, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The said slide is normally spring pressed towards the shoe guide 5, by a spring 15, which is supported on a pin 16 carried by the said slide 13, and extending' rearwardly thereof and slidably supported in a fixed boss 17, which also serves as an abutment for the spring 15. The slide may be moved rearwardly against the pressure of the spring 15, by the operator preparatory to and while placing the shoe in proper position in the machine. To permit the operator to move the slide, a boss 18 is provided on the upper rear part of the slide, to which a sprocket chain 19, is attached, the said chain passing rearwardly over a sprocket 20, mounted on the shaft 21 and extending downwardly to the foot lever 22, to which it is attached, and which foot lever is pivotally mounted at 23.

The shoe bottom engaging roll 9, is positively rotated to feed the shoe. The said roll is secured to an upright shaft 24, mounted in ears on the slide 13, the said shaft extending above the said slide and having a pinion 25, secured thereto, which engages a pinion 26, which is secured to a shaft 27, said shaft being rotatably supported in a boss 28, on the slide 13, the said shaft extending rearwardly and being slidably mounted in a fork bearing 29, supported on the upright 3, of the center head of the machine. A worm gear 30, is mounted on the shaft 27, between the two arms of the fork bearing 29, the said worm gear being keyed to the shaft 27, which shaft has a key-way 31 therein of a length sufficient to permit back and forth movements of the slide whenever the operator depresses the foot lever 22. This worm gear 30 engages a worm 32, mounted on the motive power actuated shaft 33. When the shoe, shown in Fig. 8, is placed in the machine, the channel lip is laid over the channel in the outsole ahead of the engagement of the channel lip by the roll 9, as best shown in Fig. 4. To accomplish this result, I provide a curved finger 35, which is fixed to the forward end of the slide 13, as best shown in Fig. 3, which is adapted to engage the shoe between the turned up lip 34 and the plane face of the outsole.

As the shoe is being fed along by the continuous rotation of the shoe bottom engaging roll 9 the said finger forces the lip to turn towards the channel, so that the roll 9 engages and presses the lip firmly in the channel of the outsole under the influence of the spring 15, actuating the slide 13, towards the shoe which is being held from forward movement by the lip 6 of the shoe guide 5. The said lip 6 advantageously engages and rubs the stitches on the welt under the shoe feeding action of the roll 9.

With channel closing elements, such as herein described, I provide additional elements adapted to compact the fibre of a leather sole along its marginal portion, as the sole is in proper temper at the time that the channel lip is brought down over the channel.

A hammer 12 is positioned between the lip 6 and the projections l0 and 11 of the shoe guide and the roll 9, so that the edge portion of the outsole is thereby held from overspreading under the compacting action of the hammer. To further overcome overspreading of the edge, the shoe engaging end of the hammer is convexed, as at 12, whereby the edge face of the outsole is concaved, as shown at in Figs. 4, 7 and 9. The projection 11 of shoe guide 5 has a bottom convexed face 11a to correspond with the concaved edge face of the outsole after the compacting action of the hammer. Such concaved form of the edge face of the outsole is helpful at edge trimming, making the operation less laborious and iess strenuous upon the inseam of a welt shoe. But the concaved depression on the edge face of the outsole is not absolutely necessary to the invention as any suitable shape of hammer may be adopted. The hammer 12, is iixed to the end of the shaft 36, by a collar 37, and the upper end of the said shaft is slidably mounted in a bearing 38, on the center head of the machine; the lower end being slidably supported in an adjustable bearing 39, the said adjustable bearing being screw threaded in the center head of the machine, as shown in Fig. l. The said bearing having at its upper side a collar 40, preferably of fibre or the like, to eliminate noise. The said adjustable bearing 39, is adapted to limit the downward movement of the hammer to any predetermined extent, and a screw 41 is provided to secure the said adjustable bearing at any predetermined point.

Mounted on the said shaft 36, between the bearings 38 and 39, two spiit collars 42 and 43 are shown, said collars being spaced a substantial distance apart, as shown in Fig. 1, and between the said collars a slidable collar 44 is mounted, and a spring 45 is positioned between the collar 44 and the collar 43, holding the collar 44 against the under side of the split collar 42. The collar 44 carries a` rocking block 46, which is positioned within the forked end of the reciprocatinfT lever 47, which is pivoted at 48, between the uprights 3 and 4 of the center head of the machine. The rear end of said reciprocating lever is pivoted at 49 to an upright arm 50, which is connected to an eccentric cam 51, which is supported on the motive power actuated shaft 33 and which is adapted to impart quick beating movements to the hammer.

Although I, preferably, herein show a welt shoe of the well known Goodyear type, I want it well understood that this invention and application are intended to cover and do cover the machine herein shown in operation upon any kind or type of shoe or sole to which it may be adaptable.

Having thus explained the nature of my novel invention and shown the best form of embodiment, now to me known, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A machine of the character described, having channel closing means; compacting means adapted to compact the edge face of a sole and holding means adapted to engage the sole and hold the edge thereof from spreading under the compacting action of the said compacting means.

2. A machine of the character described, having compacting means adapted to compact the edge face of a sole; movable holding means adapted to engage the sole and hold the edge thereof from spreading under the compacting action of the said compacting means and means adapted to move the said movable holding means out of engagement with the sole.

3. A machine of the character described, having compacting means adapted to compact the edge face of a sole; movable holding means adapted to engage the sole and hold the edge thereof from spreading under the compacting action of the said compacting means and yielding means for moving the said movable holding means into engagement with the sole.

4. A machine of the character described, having compacting means, in the form of a hammer, adapted to compact the edge face of a sole and holding means adapted to engage the sole and hold the edge thereof from spreading under the compacting action of the said compacting means.

5. A machine of the character described, having compacting means adapted to compact the edge face of a sole and holding means adapted to engage the sole and hold the edge thereof from spreading under the compacting action of the said oompacting means.

6. A machine of the character described, having compacting means adapted to compact the edge face of a sole and holding means, cornprising a roll adapted to engage the marginal portion of one of the plane face sides of the sole, and an abutment, positioned relatively thereto, adapted to engage the marginal portion of the opposite plane face side of the sole to hold the edge of the sole from spreading under the compacting action of the said compacting means.

EUCLID I. LA CHAPELLE. 

